Brush-machine



{No Model!) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' MQCLINTOG'K YOUNG.

BRUSH MACHINE.

N-0L544,200. Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

(No Model.) 3, Sheets-Sheet 2.

I MQ'GLINTOOK YOUNG.

' BRU$H MACHINE.

No. 544,200. Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

(No ModeL) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. MOOLINTOOK YOUNG. BRUSH MAUHINF No. 544,200. Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MCOLINTOGK YOUNG, OF FREDERICK, MARYLAND.

BRU-SHHMACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,200, dated August 6, 1895. Application filed February 10, 1894:. Serial No.499,805. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MoCLmTooK YOUNG, of Frederick, county of Frederick, and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Brush-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to that class of brush machinery in which the requisite quantity of fibers to form a tuft is separated from the mass of fibers by a reciprocating notched blade; and the invention consists in various improvements designed to render the operation of the machine perfect and effective.

The invention also consists in the details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The machine shown in the drawings is intended more particularly for use in manufacturing brushes in which the tufts, folded or doubled at the middle, are driven into holes in the block and secured by metal staples or fastenings seated in the bight and driven into the holes by a hand-tool; but it is to be understood that the tuft supporting or forming devices may be used in any other connection, and that they may form parts of any suitable machine in which tufts are automatically inserted.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a front view of the same; Fig. 4, a vertical section through the tufting mechanism, from right to left, on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a vertical section through the upper portion of the tufting mechanism, from front to rear, on the line 5 5 of Figs. 3 and 4:. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the tuft-supporting plate and its adjustments. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of this plate, looking from the rear. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the adjustable plate for varying the depth of the notch in the bolt.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a frame or support, which may be of any suitable character, provided a slight distance from its front with guides 13 to support a horizontally-sliding blade 0', the upper edge of which passes through the lower slotted ends of two fixed vertical plates D D. The

removed by the attendant.

bristles or other fiber E, from which the tufts are to be formed, are cut to a uniform lengthand seated, enmasse, between the plates D and upon the upper edge of the blade 0, by which they are supported midway of their length. A gravitating block or weight F, guided in the plates D, rests on top of the mass of fiber, keeping the same in a horizontal position and urging the mass downward as the tufts are removed from the under side. A vertical plate Gbears against the rear ends of the fibers in order to hold them forward in proper position upon the blade. This plate G is sustained by arm 9, adjustable horizontally through a clamp g on the frame, so that the blade may be moved forward. and backward, according to the length of the fibers which are to be used, in order that they may rest centrally upon the blade 0. This blade serves the purpose of removing from the bottom of the mass fiber in sufiicient quantities to form the successive tufts, and to this end the plate is provided in its upper edge with an upwardly and forwardly inclined slot or notch 0, so that when the blade is moved to the right it is filled With fibers descending from the mass.

In order that the fibers filling the slot may be confined and wholly separated from the mass, I mount on the main sliding blade 0 a secondary slide 0', having a limited end motion in relation thereto, and having its left end upwardly. and rearwardly arranged to overlap and slide across the slot 0 in order to confine and compress the bristles therein, so that when the main slide 0 moves to the left it will carry contained tuft beyond, as indicated by the position of the parts in Fig. 3, into position to be conveniently grasped and The secondary slide 0' may be connected with the main slide in any suitable manner, but as shown in the drawings it is slotted to receive the guiding-plates b, by which its motion is limited. The parts are operated by a link I) extending from the secondary slide to the upper end of an elbow-lever 12 which is pivoted to the main frame at b, and connected at its lower end to a link b which is in turn connected at its lower extremity to one end of a centrally- 1C0 pivoted treadle or foot-lever b which is operated by an attendant placing his feet one on each end.

For the purpose of varying the size of the tuft separated from the mass of fibers I provide means for varying both the depth and width of the notch in the blade. On reference to Figs. at, 6, and 7 it will be seen that one wall of the blade is composed of an inclined lip extending laterally from the end of a horizontal plate 0 seated against the side of the blade near its upper edge. The plate is formed with two slots, through which fastening-screws extend and into the blade, a washer-plate 0 being interposed between the screws and plate. By loosening the screws and moving the plate longitudinally the inclined lipmay be changed in position to vary the width of the notch and the-consequent width of the tuft separated by the same. For the purpose of varying the depth of the notch I provide an inclined plate 0 slotted and formed on its upper end with a lateral lip a constituting the bottom of the notch. This plate is held tightly against the blade by a clamping-plate a seated thereon and secured by fastening-screws extending through the slots in the inclined plate. 13y loosening the clampingplate the inclined plate may be moved up or down to shorten or lengthen the notch in the blade.

In order that the movement of the blade may be resisted to an extent so that the secondary blade will act with certainty to cover and uncover the notch in the blade, I provide va tension device consisting of a clamp H,

formed of two jaws secured together near their lower ends and embracing the lower edge of the slide, the said clamp being sustained between two stops at on the lower guide B of the main frame, as shown in Fig.1. IVhen the blade is moved back and forth the clamp will encounter one or the other of the stops, and the movement of the blade being continued it will slide between the jaws of the clamp, thereby receiving the necessary amount of resistance to permit the secondary blade to be moved first.

The operation is as follows: Assume that the slide stands in the left-hand position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and that the tuft has been withdrawn. The operator depresses the right end of the treadle, and the lever Z1 first acts to move the slide 0 to the right in relation to the main slide, thus opening the upper end of the notch c. As soon as this independent motion of the secondary slide is completed it carries the main slide with it toward the right, causing the slot 0 to pass beneath the mass of fibers, so that it is filled therefrom. At this point the parts will stand in the relations shown in Fig. 4. The oper-' ator now depresses the left end of the treadle. The first action is the movement of the secondary slide along the main slide until it has covered or closed the upper end of the slot 0 and confined the tuft therein, after which the two slides move together to the left to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 until the separated and confined tuft is carried beyond the mass and in such position that its end may be readily grasped by the attendant, who pulls it out of the slide, and after doubling it or folding it over the fastening inserts it into the block.

It is manifest that the connection between the two slides and the arrangement of mechanism for operating them may be modified at will, as they are not of the essence of the in- Vention.

In order to facilitate the introduction of the tufts in proper manner I place in front of the main frame a stationary bed or table I, having on the top suitable guides 71 to hold the brush-block K, which contains holes to receive the tufts, as usual. To the front of this table I attach a tray L intended to contain the staples or other tuft-fastening devices, and in the center of this tray I form a flanged opening Z, intended to receive the tuft-insertin g tool, so that the attendant, while holding the tuft in one hand, may conveniently grasp with the other the fastening de vice and the inserting-tool in order to apply them to the tuft.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a mechanism for separating fibers into tufts, the combination with means for supporting the fiber, a reciprocating notched blade, the secondary, independently movable blade, a tension device offering a yielding resistance to the movementof the main blade, and operating devices connected with the secondary blade for imparting a reciprocating motion thereto, and thence to the main blade.

2. In a mechanism for separating fibers into tufts, the combination with means for supporting the fibers, of a reciprocating notched blade, a secondary independently movable blade, a clamp embracing the notched blade and movably supported by the frame, the blade being movable through said clamp, stops on the frame to limit the movement of the clamp, and operating devices connected to the secondary blade, whereby movement is imparted to the notched blade from the secondary blade.

3. In a mechanism for separating fibers into tufts the combination with the movable blade provided with a notch to receive the tufts, of means for varying the width of the notch to vary the size of the tuft.

4. In a mechanism for separating fibers into tufts the combination with the movable blade provided with a notch to receive the tufts, of means for varying the width and means for varying the depth of said notch.

5. In a mechanism for separating a mass of fibers into tufts the combination with a reciprocating blade, of a notch therein, a plate adjustably connected to the blade and formed with a lateral lip overlying one wall of the notch, and a second adjustable plate formed with a lip overlying the bottom of the notch; whereby the adjustment of said plates will MOCLINTOCK YOUNG.

act to vary both the width and depth of the Witnesses: notch. MARSHALL FOUT,

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my CH. 0. SMITH. 

